The official spokesman for the National Office for Taiwan Affairs said on 13 May that representatives from the mainland and Taiwan had signed an agreement in Nanjing recently to increase air traffic between the two sides. Weekly passenger services will more than double from the current 108 flights to 270.

Another six mainland cities will start direct services, bringing the total to 27. These cities include Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan and Chongqing, all situated on the Yangtze trunkline, along with Changsha, Hefei and Nanchang on Yangtze tributaries. Shanghai and Guangzhou have been designated for regular air cargo services and both sides have also agreed to carry cargo on regular passenger services.